Team

Prof. Brian Lawlor

Consultant Psychiatrist

Brian is Conolly Norman Professor of Old age Psychiatry at TCD, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of the Memory Clinic at St. James’s Hospital and Deputy Co-Director of the Global Brain Health Institute (www.gbhi.org).

Brian trained initially in internal medicine in Ireland before completing his training in psychiatry in the USA at the University of Florida and at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesa Maryland. He was Chief of Psychogeriatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York before retunring to Dublin and St. James’s Hospital in 1991.

His research interests are in the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, the neurobiology and treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia and the study of mental disorders, including loneliness in the community dwelling elderly. The overarching aims of his research programmes are to develop clinical, neuropsychological and biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease at the earliest possible stage and to test promising new interventions in clinical populations. His research involves collaborative partnership with disciplines from basic science through to health service development, clinical trials and implementation.

He has conducted longitudinal cohort studies of Alzheimer’s disease in clinic settings and cross sectional and longitudinal studies of community dwelling elderly, including the study of risk factors and the impact of depression, anxiety, loneliness and social isolation in older people. Brian has been involved in intervention trials in dementia for over 30 years and currently is Lead PI for the investigator driven clinical trial of nilvadiine in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease (www.nilvad.eu).

Dr. Robert Coen

Senior Neuropsychologist

Dr. Robert Coen, PhD, C Psychol AFPsSI is Senior Neuropsychologist in the MIRA Memory Clinic in MISA specialising in the neuropsychology of dementia and ageing. Formerly Head of the Psychometrics Dept., Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Dublin he has been an Associate Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology for the Open University, Lecturer in Psychopharmacology, University College Dublin, and is currently a staff member of the Dept. of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin.

Primary activities relate to the neuropsychological assessment / differential diagnosis of clients referred to the Memory Clinic, overseeing assessments undertaken by additional staff, supervision of Trainee Clinical Psychologists on specialist placements, teaching on programmes for Clinical Psychologists and Medical Students, PhD research supervision / collaboration on a variety of studies and research programmes and active participation in Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) initiatives.

Major research projects he has an involvement in include The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TILDA); the Trinity, University of Ulster and Dept of Agriculture (TUDA) Cohort study; NILVAD, a European Multicentre Double-Blind Placebo Controlled trial of Nilvadipine in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s disease; active advisor / collaborator on studies evaluating cognitive outcomes following Carotenoid supplementation including Central Retinal Enrichment Supplementation Trials (CREST), Carotenoids and Age-Related Dementia Study (CARDS) and a study of carotenoid supplementation in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); Cognitive Impairment in patients with HIV Infection; Viral Hepatitis C Associated Neurocognitive Dysfunction in Ireland in the DAA era (CANDI); effects of an extensive exercise program on the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI); Irish Network for Biomarkers in Neurodegeneration (IN-BIND), among others.

Dr. Marie McCarthy

Senior Neuropsychologist

Dr Marie McCarthy BA, MSc, PhD, CPsychol., AFBPsS, is currently a senior neuropsychologist in the memory clinic at MISA.

Prior to this, she was a senior lecturer in neuropsychology at the University of Surrey, Roehampton and honorary neuropsychologist at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, London (RHN).

She has a particular interest in dementia and neurodegenerative conditions both from her work at the MISA and from reseacrh on multiple sclerosis and severe brain injury at the RHN, London.

Dr McCarthy completed her primary degree in Applied Psychology at University College Cork, followed by her post-graduate training in Neuropsychology at the University of Wales, Swansea.Her doctoral reseacrch on neurospcyhological aspects of multiple sclerosis was completed at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and her PhD was awarded by University College London.

Dr McCarthy has a special interest in the assessment and management of attentional & memory disorders in the elderely. She recently completed a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and hopes to develop her expertise in this area for both patients with dememtia and their carers / families.

Dr. Kevin Glynn

Psychiatric Registrar

Kevin’s background is in Psychiatry and he recently completed his basic training with the Irish College of Psychiatrists. He is also a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London. Kevin initially studied a degree in Psychology in UCD and later completed an MSc in Cognitive Neuropsychology in the University of Essex in the UK, before returning to complete his Medical Degree at the Graduate Entry Medical School in the University of Limerick. After competing his intern year in Beaumont Hospital in 2012, he worked in Psychiatry in the Northern Hospital in Melbourne Australia for a year and subsequently returned to Ireland to take up his place on the Trinity College Psychiatry Training Scheme. He completed his training last year and is currently working as a research fellow in the clinic under Professor Brian Lawlor with an interest in Psychiatry of Later life.

Matthew Gibb

Senior Medical Social Worker

Matthew has a professional background in Social Work practice and a Masters degree in Social Policy and Social Work Studies, from the London School of Economics. Matthew has much experience working with older people, carers and people with sensory and physical disabilities. His role is both that of Senior Medical Social Worker to patients attending the Memory Clinic (Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing) and Social Researcher at the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre. Matthew has a professional background in Social Work practice and a Masters degree in Social Policy and Social Work Studies, from the London School of Economics. Matthew has much experience working with older people, carers and people with sensory and physical disabilities. His role is both that of Senior Medical Social Worker to patients attending the Memory Clinic (Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing) and Social Researcher at the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre.

Irene Bruce

Clinical Nurse Manager

Irene trained as a general nurse in the Richmond hospital Dublin and as a midwife in Scotland. She has over 26 years experience in working in the Memory Clinic in St.James’ Hospital since it’s foundation.

Irene’s MSc focused on functional impairment in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Irene is involved not only in the clinical work but also the research projects that take place in the Memory Clinic.

Dr. Oisín Hannigan

Watts Research Fellow

Dr. Oisín Hannigan is the current Watts Research Fellow in St.James’ Hospital Department of the Medicine for the Elderly. From Kildare, he graduated in 2008 with a degree in biochemistry with structural biology from Trinity College Dublin, then undertook a degree in Medicine in University College Cork, where he graduated in 2012. He is a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. His clinical work is focused in the Memory Clinic and he is currently undertaking a higher degree focusing on quality of life in the elderly, while also pursuing other research interests in memory and osteoporosis.

Rachel Farley

Memory Clinic Secretary

Rachel has worked in St James’s for over 18 years. Her first appointment was in the Cardiology Department where she worked for eight years. Rachel has been working as secretary to the Memory Clinic for the last ten years. As first point of contact for patients she is a vital member of the team and plays a valuable role in providing information and putting anxious patients and their families at their ease.